We haven’t heard much about the ongoing negotiations with Boyle’s camp, but the Stralman negotiations aren’t going so well. Stralman wants more money and –likely– years than the Rangers are willing to offer. Considering Nikita Nikitin’s absurd deal ($4.5 million for a marginal defenseman is indeed absurd), Stralman is likely getting at least that, and probably more, over a longer term. That’s too expensive for the Rangers.

With the draft just one day away, it makes you wonder if the Rangers should pursue trading their negotiating rights to recoup draft picks.

In trading their negotiating rights, the Rangers will communicate to the fans that these two players are no longer in their plans for the future. That’s a decent risk, as both players were important to the run to the Stanley Cup Final this year.

However, it is also an attempt to recoup the draft picks. The Rangers had five picks last year, four the year before, and are looking at four picks this year. All of those traded picks have led to a bit of a bare prospect cupboard.

Boyle may not fetch more than a late round pick, but Stralman should fetch something interesting, perhaps upwards of a third round pick (Dan Boyle fetched a fourth rounder, and Stralman is considered a prize this offseason). Adding a pair of picks to either this year’s or next’s draft will be critical to a team that is in the middle of three straight years without a first round pick.

I think it’s too late. Haven’t we got to the time when all of the teams are allowed to talk to all of the free agents? What good are negotiating rights at this point? Regarding Boyle, the Islanders got to talk to him before anyone else got in.

They can talk but they can’t sign, and they can’t talk specifics. Technically they aren’t supposed to have verbal agreements, so if there’s “interest from multiple teams,” this still gives one team the edge.

We needed to make this decision a week ago. As we move within hours of the draft and days away from full free agency, I cannot see too many teams trading away anything more (at this late stage) than a 5th rounder.

If I were a GM, I’d wait for the July 1 date and go from there. Why in the world would I give anything for these guys, without knowing that I’ll be able to sign them in the first place? This should have been an option the day after the SCF!!!!! Again a day late, and a dollar short!!

Fayne stock is on the rise, I like him as a defenceman and always good thing signing a rivals players. The Rangers have a lot of Setoguchi type players on their roster, I rather see them make a play for Bolland.